Fundraising Fox
David Cowan
InvestorPartner at Bessemer Venture Partners
San Francisco & Silicon Valley
Writes $1M – $250M checks · typically $25M
Midas 2018 · #49Midas 2017 · #65Midas 2015 · #73Midas 2013 · #61Midas 2012 · #69Midas 2011Midas 2009Midas 2008Midas 2007Midas 2006Midas 2005Midas 2004Midas 2002Midas 2001
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About
A highly ranked venture investor (sixth on the Midas List) who has backed seed through Series B rounds leading to over 30 IPOs. He launched Bessemer's practices in cloud, cybersecurity, consumer internet, gaming, space, and quantum computing, and co-founded cybersecurity companies including VeriSign, Good Technology, and Defense.net. He holds an AB in computer science/mathematics and an MBA from Harvard University.
Contact· self-published, not guessed
Invests in
AI & Machine LearningCloud ComputingConsumerCybersecurityFintechGamingHealthtechSaaSSpace Tech
Beyond investing
- Founded
- Cowan co-founded Verisign in 1995, serving as its initial chairman. Cowan co-founded the mobile email software platform Visto in 1996 and served as its initial CEO. Cowan co-founded DDoS-prevention firm Defense.Net in 2012. As a teenager, Cowan founded Data Route to sell magazine-labeling software to law and private libraries, and later sold it to Brad Feld.
- Education
- Studied at Harvard University (AB, Computer Science and Mathematics, 1988) Studied at Harvard University (MBA, 1992) Studied at Harvard Business School (MBA)
- Boards
- Cowan is a board member of the Center for Inquiry as of 2022. Cowan previously served as a Trustee of the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science before it merged with the Center for Inquiry. Cowan serves on the Advisory Board of the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian as of 2022.
- Charities
- Cowan founded the Afghan Rescue Fund, which helps relocate Afghan families imperiled by the Taliban regime, and has coordinated the rescue of hundreds of endangered Afghans.
- Communities
- Cowan supports scientific skepticism and the work of Richard Dawkins, and identifies as atheist.
- Awards
- Cowan's Wish I Knew podcast won the 2024 Webby Award for Best Business Podcast. Cowan received a 2026 Emmy Award nomination for Best Documentary Short as the producer of the film 'Heist.' Cowan's documentary Afghan Dreamers won the Best Human Rights Film Award at Galway Film Fleadh and other festival honors.
- Hobbies
- Cowan co-wrote and starred in the Silicon Valley mockumentary 'Bubbleproof' and produced the documentary Afghan Dreamers. Cowan hosts the Wish I Knew podcast, which shares life-changing moments experienced by founders and CEOs. Cowan wrote and directed the musical 'Lies in the Attic,' performed by the a cappella group Voices in Harmony in San Jose.
- Family
- Cowan is the brother of former New York Times reporter Alison Leigh Cowan.
- More
- Cowan was raised in New Rochelle, New York. Cowan's 2006 blog post questioning marketing claims about the supplement Airborne became the primary source for a Scientific American article that preceded an FTC settlement. Cowan holds several United States patents relating to consumer behavior and network security.
From published sources — common ground for a warm intro.
Deals · 3
VirtruLed round
via Bessemer Venture Partners · filed Aug 2016
Distil NetworksLed round
via Bessemer Venture Partners · filed Jun 2015
PicogridQuoted
via Bessemer Venture Partners · filed Apr 2026
Attribution from SEC filings, press coverage, and firm rosters.
Other disclosed investments
Board seats
Auth0VeriSign
Investor
Aimon LabsAnthropicAtomo CoffeeAuterionAuth0Bastille Networks Internet SecurityBeziBlack Sheep FoodsBlue NileBoom SupersonicBreakerChipAgentsCienaClarotyCodeGuardContractbookCreate, Inc.CrosschqCybergrxCyotaDEFCON AIDefense.netDelivery AgentDemostackDrone DeployDropcamEndgameExpress ActionFernFigure Eight Inc.FinmarkFurientisGetinsuredGood TechnologyHalterIllusiveImpossible AerospaceIris AutomationiSIGHT PartnersJingleKeep HoldingsLifelockLinkedInLinkedIn CorporationLumachainModelcode AINetographyNodaNominumPlaydomPostiniQualys Nasdaq QlysReputation ComRigettiRigetti Quantum ComputingRocket LabSkybox ImagingSmuleSolomonSpire GlobalTeam8TensorZeroTerra BellaTripwireTruaxisTurbine oneTwilioTwilioTwitchUnimaVelo 3DVerisignVerseVisorVotizenVoxel51WaymoWindfall BioXanaduZapierZoosk
Sources: curated public sources · the firm's website.
Colleagues at Bessemer Venture Partners
Network41
▶29 more connections
Ariel Sterman · scoutBen Donald · scoutBhavik Nagda · scoutBrian Feinstein · scoutBryan Wu · scoutCarine Magescas · scoutCaty Rea · scoutCharles Birnbaum · scoutChris Hollenbeck · scoutChristopher Wan · scoutChuck Templeton · scoutDaegwon Chae · scoutDan Ahn · scoutDarsh Patel · scoutDhruv Jain · scoutDixon Doll · scoutElliott Robinson · scoutEric Kaplan · scoutFabio Lancellotti · scoutFelda Hardymon · scoutGarth Timoll · scoutGary Kremen · scoutGeorge Bischof · scoutJeff Epstein · scoutJeffrey Blackburn · scoutJosh Hechtman · scoutRobert Goodman · scoutTess Hatch · scoutThomas Korte · scout
Investors connected to David in public investor directories — a warm-intro map.
Frequently asked questions
- Who is David Cowan?
- A highly ranked venture investor (sixth on the Midas List) who has backed seed through Series B rounds leading to over 30 IPOs. He launched Bessemer's practices in cloud, cybersecurity, consumer internet, gaming, space, and quantum computing, and co-founded cybersecurity companies including VeriSign, Good Technology, and Defense.net. He holds an AB in computer science/mathematics and an MBA from Harvard University.
- Where does David Cowan work?
- David Cowan is Partner at Bessemer Venture Partners.
- What does David Cowan invest in?
- David Cowan invests in AI & Machine Learning, Cloud Computing, Consumer, Cybersecurity, Fintech, Gaming, Healthtech, SaaS, Space Tech.
- What check size does David Cowan write?
- David Cowan typically writes checks of $1M – $250M.
- What boards does David Cowan sit on?
- David Cowan holds tracked board seats at Auth0, VeriSign.
- What companies has David Cowan invested in?
- Investments tracked here include Aimon Labs, Anthropic, Atomo Coffee, Auterion, Auth0, Bastille Networks Internet Security, Bezi, Black Sheep Foods, Blue Nile, Boom Supersonic, Breaker, ChipAgents, and 72 more.
- What awards has David Cowan received?
- Cowan's Wish I Knew podcast won the 2024 Webby Award for Best Business Podcast. Cowan received a 2026 Emmy Award nomination for Best Documentary Short as the producer of the film 'Heist.' Cowan's documentary Afghan Dreamers won the Best Human Rights Film Award at Galway Film Fleadh and other festival honors.
About this profile. Compiled from public sources — Bessemer Venture Partners's own website, regulatory filings and public professional profiles — and summarised by Fundraising Fox; every fact is kept with where it came from. Spotted an error, or would rather not be listed? Email privacy@fundraisingfox.com · How we build profiles · Your rights